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From Heaven With Love
gratify the malice of the Pharisees, they turned their backs on Him
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and left Him with disdain. They had made their choice; they walked
no more with Jesus.
By the words of truth, the chaff was being separated from the
wheat. See
Matthew 3:12
. Because they were too self-righteous
to receive reproof, many turned away. Souls are tested today as
were those disciples in the synagogue at Capernaum. When truth
is brought home to the heart, they see the need of an entire change,
but are not willing to take up the self-denying work. They go away
offended, murmuring, “This is an hard saying; who can hear it?”
Truth Is Unwelcome
When the crowds follow and the multitudes are fed and the
shouts of triumph are heard, their voices are loud in praise; but when
God’s Spirit reveals sin and bids them leave it, they turn their backs
on the truth.
As those disaffected disciples turned away, a different spirit took
control of them. They could see nothing attractive in Christ whom
they had once found so interesting. They misinterpreted His words,
falsified His statements, and impugned His motives, gathering up
every item that could be turned against Him. Such indignation was
stirred up by these false reports that His life was in danger.
The news spread swiftly that by His own confession Jesus of
Nazareth was not the Messiah. Thus in Galilee the popular feeling
turned against Him, as, the year before, it had been in Judea. Israel
rejected their Saviour because they wanted the food which perishes,
not that which endures unto everlasting life.
With a yearning heart, Jesus saw those who had been His disci-
ples depart. His compassion unappreciated, His love unrequited, His
salvation rejected—this filled Him with inexpressible sorrow. Such
developments as these made Him “a man of sorrows, and acquainted
with grief.”
Isaiah 53:3
.
Without attempting to hinder those who were leaving, Jesus
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turned to the Twelve and said, “Will ye also go away?”
Peter replied by asking, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast
the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that Thou art
that Christ, the Son of the living God.”